I'm a libertarian who happens to believe that borders mean something and labor should not be able to travel freely across borders without nations having a say so as to who comes in and who doesn't. That's key to national sovereignty.
That being said, I have a serious problem with local police (sheriff, city cops, etc.) taking an active role in enforcing immigration laws.
Cops are here to serve everybody , especialy those who are a victim of crime, but if the local cops are gung ho about investigating illegals, it creates a strong disincentive for illegal aliens, who are victims of crime to call police and get help. That's bad. It creates a group of (generally otherwise law abiding people) who are afraid to call police if victimized and who naturally are going to view the local police as an enemy, not an ally
That's bad.
The federal govt. and FBI, etc. have expanded into investigating and regulating TONS of stuff that are none of their damn business.
However, immigration/border issues are one of the few issues that are CLEARLY a matter of federal concern. Good. let them handle it. Let local cops handle CRIME.
The last thing I want is a woman who is being beaten by her boyfriend, to be afraid to call police because of her immigration status. That can't stand.
I don't want to embolden thugs - rapists, robbers, burglars, etc. by giving them an entire class of victims - illegal aliens - who they can victimize with impunity because they know these victims will be afraid to call police. And I don't want the illegal aliens to be forced to take the law into their hands in certain cases because they are afraid to let us handle it.
In the past, there have been some immigrant communities from countries where the local police cannot be trusted and they would never call them to report crime. When they have arrived here, many kept the same attitudes. They also don't trust banks and would keep large quantities of cash in their house/ Others in their community KNOW this and would engage in violent home invasions, pistol whippings etc. to rob the victims of money, KNOWING they were too afraid to call the police
we worked really hard ot make inroads in those communities, gain trust etc. No communities should feel that fear of law enforcement but by local cops enforcing immigration laws, we create such communities and that is simply awful
THAT is the primary reason why, despite my belief that borders and immigration laws matter, I don't believe local cops should be enforcing immigration laws